All projects are designed to complement current research interests in the group and their precise details will, to some extent, depend on progress in each of the topics. All projects require a good understanding of general metabolism and a familiarity with the pathways of photosynthesis and carbohydrate metabolism. Projects 1-3 will involve the use (although not generation) of transgenic plant lines. Projects 3 & 4 are likely to require handling of radioactive (14C/32P) compounds. Project 1& 2 are probably better suited for FHS Biological Sciences projects whereas Projects 3-5 require more extensive time commitments and are probably more appropriate as FHS Molecular & Cellular Biochemistry Part 2 projects.
Project 1
Characterising the plant
fluorome - analysis of chlorophyll induction kinetics of Arabidopsis
mutants
Project 2
Growth stage-based
phenotypic analysis of Arabidopsis mutants defective in enzymes of
central metabolic pathways
Project 3
Photosynthetic carbon
metabolism in an Arabidopsis mutant deficient in a major chloroplast
envelope transporter
Project 4
Covalent modification of
a bifunctional enzyme responsible for fructose 2,6-bisphosphate metabolism in
plants
Project 5
Kinetic characterisation
of multiple isoforms of sucrose synthase in plants